Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-01-05
Thc Accident on the Il. and o. Il. Il

was given yesterday. Appended is a more
minute description:
The limited express on the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad lefC Baltimore at nine o'clock
Monday morning, and Washington an hour
later The train consisted of two seepers
one from Baltimore and one from Pitts
hurghAa baggage car, and express and
mail car. There were about fifteen persons
in the Baltimore sleeper, all of whom es
ceped injury, so far rs known. All of the
persons killed are supposed to have been in
the smoker. The accident occurred on
single track. misunderstanding of orders
wss the cause. There were siYty-hve pas
sengers on the train. The smoking car
took fire Immediately after the crash, and
the imprisoned passengers held in torture
by the wrecked car were most of them slow
" roasted to death. All the mail and ex-
press matter was destroyed. The express
never stops at small stations, and hence did
not stop at Republic, but went flying by on
q level grade st the rate of over fifty miles
an hour A freight train was coming east.
ward at the rate Of about twenty-five miles
an hour. and was expected to make u siding
at Republic The locomotives came togeth
or with frightful crash, aud both were
totally demolished. Burning Goals from the
furnaces flew over the cars. The horror of
the situation was increased by the intense
cold, the temperature being below zero and
the ground covered with snow.
1t was an awful scene. Women whose
husbands, brothers or friends had left them
to enjoy smoke but an hour or so before,
stood about the blazing car, filling the air
with their screams for help. They knew
their beloved ones were being burned alive,
and some OF the dying men could be seen
writhing in agony, their arms or legs being
pnioned BY timbers Of the wrecked car. One
man begged piteouslT for some one to shoot
him through the Car window. His legs
were roasting. and finally his hor
rible suiierings were ended 10 uncon-
scousness rs he sank back in the blaZ
ing wreck. It is reported that several Of
the bodies were burned beyond recognition.
Those saved from the wreck remaining in
Republic were o mother with three little
ones, hardly out of their swaddling clothes,
the husband and father, with two sons,
having been devoured by the flames Of the
burning cars In some way that even the
mother was unable to relate, she got out of
the car in which she had been travelling,
and, wandering away from the burning
train, carrying her two youngest children
in her arms entered the first house in which
she found light. She was almost crazed,
and with difficulty it was ascertalned that
her name was Mrs. Mary Postlethwate.
The family were on their way to Missouri,
and expected to find home in Chillicothe,
in that State They had been living near
Bolton, Wetzel county, W. Va. Her hus-
band was fifty eight years OF age, and the
sous killed with him were aged sixteen aud
eleven.
1t is related of Mr. Bradley, from Wash
ington, d. c., who, while the flames were
bursting from the car windows which had
been burst in by the collision, put out his
hand and threw his watch and pocketbook
to those whom he could see outside. de
was pinned fast, and was being roasted
alive, but those who saw him were unable
to render relief They could hear the fren-
lied man as he madly enGeavored to burst
the barriers that held him. The charred
remains Of the express messenger consisted
of two thigh bones, which we're found in
the debris Of the car.
William Fredericks. fireman of the ex-
press, was caught between the tender AMI
engine aud lived for two hours, hut it WINS
found impossible TO effect his release. His
mother is widow and lives in Washington,
d. C.
NJ. II. Parks was also we6ged in The wreck
and burned to death after handing his
money, letters and cards 10 one Of the rail
road employees. His body was also COZ
sumed as were those Of several others
whose names perhaps will never be known.
The east-bound freight train left Tiflin,
O at one o'clock After the passenger
| train had gone, the conductor, being with
out special ordere, exercised his own judy
ment, and determined that iDasmuch as he
had half an hour to make the switch at Re
public, q little less than five miles distant,
before the arrival of the fast express from
the east, due at that point at two o'clock, be
pulled out. The night was bitter cold and
much difficulty was experienced in keep.
ing up steam in the engine. Finally,
at a point half mile west of Republic,
the train came to a slandstill, being IN
able 10 move further. Just here was made
the horrible mistake. The conductor start
ed forward with a lantern himself. At this
point there is sharp curve, and the condnc-
tor had not proceeded more than the length
of twenty cars when he saw the headlight
of the approaching express rounding the
curve not more than forty rods distant and
running al the lightning speed of fifty three
miles per hour. Horror. stricken with the
knowledge that frightful accident could
not be GveFted, he flashed his light in the
face of the engineer. The latter at the same
moment saw the light of the freight engine,
and, giving a wild shrek of the whistle for
brakes, be reversed his engine and jumped
fer his life, crashing through the window Of
the cab, carrying glass and sash with him,
and a!ighted in heavy snowdrit. lie es-
capped serious injury, his hurts being con-
fined to slight wound upon The knee. As
ho realized his danger, he called to his
fireman, William Fredericks to save
himself. The latter was engaged III
stocking the FIRE, and raised up a moment
and hesitaied to glance forward, as
If to estimate the danger. This was fatal, as
Us that Instant the crash cane, and FEED
ericks was pinned and crushed By the mass
Of tbs wreck
The engines Of the two trains reared into
the air ike pair Of enraged living mon
sters aid then settled down upon the track.
driven into each ether until the cylinders
touched. The force of tie impact jammei
q. ctl